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Atmosphere
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Observations, Modeling, and Theory of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer
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Observations, Modeling, and Theory of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Meteorology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 1440

Editors

Prof. Dr. Yubin Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Atmospheric Physics, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Interests: tropical cyclones; atmospheric boundary layer; air–land–sea interaction; air pollution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Jie Tang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Shanghai Typhoon Institute of China Meteorological Administration, Shanghai 200030, China
Interests: tropical cyclone boundary layer; typhoon field experiment; extratropical transition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), characterized by direct interaction with the Earth's surface and dominant turbulent motions, plays a critical role in weather, climate, and air quality. A deeper understanding of this complex system relies on the integrated and synergistic advancement of observations, numerical modeling, and theoretical analysis. State-of-the-art observational techniques (e.g., eddy covariance, remote sensing) provide foundational data for theory and are crucial for model validation. Multiscale numerical simulations (e.g., large-eddy simulation, high-resolution weather models) reveal underlying processes and bridge observational gaps. Theoretical innovation, in turn, guides observational campaigns and advances parameterization schemes. This closed-loop interaction among observations, modeling, and theory continuously drives breakthroughs in boundary-layer science. This Special Issue is dedicated to showcasing how observations, modeling, and theory mutually inspire and constrain each other, leading to novel insights into ABL processes. We welcome original research exploring the intersections and feedbacks among these three pillars. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the synergy of observations, modeling, and theory in ABL studies; multiscale processes and interactions within the ABL; ABL parameterization and model development; and key applications and challenges in ABL research.

Prof. Dr. Yubin Li
Prof. Dr. Jie Tang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Atmosphere is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • atmospheric boundary layer
  • observations
  • numerical modeling
  • theoretical analysis
  • parameterization
  • multiscale processes

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 13473 KB  
Article
Evaluation of PBL Schemes in Weather Research and Forecasting Model Simulations of Downslope Windstorm over Modest Terrain in Southern Brazil
by Mateus Rebelo, Michel Stefanello, Daniel C. Santos, Richard Lobato, Tamires Zimmer, Murilo Lopes, Cinara E. da Rosa, Alecsander Mergen, Ernani de Lima Nascimento, Gervasio Degrazia, Debora Roberti and Rafael Maroneze
Atmosphere 2026, 17(6), 550; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17060550 - 28 May 2026
Viewed by 742
Abstract
Vento Norte (VNOR; Portuguese for North Wind) is a downslope windstorm that develops over modest terrain in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), southern Brazil. The regional topography is characterized by an abrupt terrain transition with elevation differences of approximately [...] Read more.
Vento Norte (VNOR; Portuguese for North Wind) is a downslope windstorm that develops over modest terrain in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), southern Brazil. The regional topography is characterized by an abrupt terrain transition with elevation differences of approximately 400–500 m. This atmospheric flow typically occurs during the cold season and is characterized by strong wind gusts, rapid warming, and drying of the planetary boundary layer (PBL). In this study, the performance of different PBL parameterization schemes in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is assessed for simulating a VNOR event that occurred between 19 and 20 August 2021 in Santa Maria (SMA), RS. Five high-resolution numerical simulations were conducted using the Yonsei University (YSU), Asymmetric Convective Model version 2 (ACM2), Mellor–Yamada–Nakanishi–Niino level 2.5 (MYNN2.5), Quasi-Normal Scale Elimination (QNSE), and Three-Dimensional Turbulent Kinetic Energy (3DTKE) PBL schemes. Model results were evaluated against observations from a flux tower providing turbulence measurements, twice-daily radiosoundings, and hourly surface meteorological observations. Statistical metrics indicate that the MYNN2.5 scheme provided the most accurate representation of the nighttime stable boundary layer preceding the VNOR, as well as its onset and subsequent evolution. Although this study analyzes a single VNOR event and the results may be case-dependent, the overall performance of the MYNN2.5 scheme suggests that it is a promising option for the operational forecasting of VNOR events. These findings provide new insights into the ability of different PBL schemes to reproduce the mean boundary-layer structure and turbulence characteristics associated with downslope windstorms over modest terrain, contributing to the understanding of these events. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Observations, Modeling, and Theory of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer)
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28 pages, 29330 KB  
Article
Evaluation and Application of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Profiles from Aircraft Meteorological Reports in Europe
by Dongchao Liu, Mengyao Li, Yuanjie Zhang and Yubin Li
Atmosphere 2026, 17(6), 531; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17060531 - 22 May 2026
Viewed by 348
Abstract
The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) has strong diurnal variability, but routine radiosonde launches at 00:00 and 12:00 UTC cannot fully resolve its daily evolution. This study develops and evaluates a 13-year (2007–2019) hourly ABL profile dataset using Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) observations [...] Read more.
The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) has strong diurnal variability, but routine radiosonde launches at 00:00 and 12:00 UTC cannot fully resolve its daily evolution. This study develops and evaluates a 13-year (2007–2019) hourly ABL profile dataset using Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) observations from 42 selected European airports, and applies it to characterize airport-scale diurnal, seasonal, and regional variations in ABL structure. AMDAR-derived temperature and wind profiles were validated against collocated radiosonde observations by season, pressure layer, and airport–radiosonde distance. Errors decrease for shorter separation distances and lower-tropospheric layers. For separations < 50 km and pressures > 850 hPa, spring, summer, autumn, and winter RMSEs are 0.9/1.0/1.4/1.2 K for temperature, 1.7/2.0/1.9/1.9 m/s for zonal wind, and 1.4/1.6/1.9/1.6 m/s for meridional wind. Hourly AMDAR profiles reveal distinct diurnal ABL evolution at airport scale. Seasonal ABL height (ABLH) composites are mainly 250–900 m, with available nighttime and early-morning values of about 300–450 m and spring–summer afternoon maxima of 800–900 m at far-inland airports. Coastal airports show weaker daytime growth, mostly below 600–650 m. These results demonstrate AMDAR’s value as a supplementary profile dataset for characterizing European airport-scale ABL structure and diurnal variability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Observations, Modeling, and Theory of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer)
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